The FTGFOP1 designation denotes the quality of the leaves: Finest Tippy Golden; Flowery Orange Pekoe; and 1 for premium grade, referring to how the leaves were plucked – in this case, two tender leaves and a single bud at a time, with the coarser leaves left on the bush.

As for the plantation itself, Mangalam Tea Estate is located 5300m above the Brahmaputra valley, whose river (Brahmaputra river) dominates the Assam region in India's far northeast. The largest tea-growing region in the world, Assam experiences high precipitation during the monsoon period, with as much as 250-300mm of rain per day. The daytime temperature often rises to about 40C, creating greenhouse-like conditions of extreme humidity and heat – the tropical climate contributing to Assam's unique malty taste and making it one of the most popular breakfast brews in the world.

Alternatives to this West Bengali black tea

For another outstanding brew from this award-winning tea estate, try our Assam Mangalam tea. Also, from Upper Assam, our Assam Manjushree is packed with golden tips, while our Assam Breakfast, Assam TGFOP Thowra and Meleng teas are great examples of the region's full-bodied, malty styles.

Our in-depth guide has all you need to know for more about Assam tea's taste, history, and how to brew it. Or discover a range of other teas with our Classic Black Tea Discovery Collection, which offers taster pouches for five different breakfast brews.

In the Assam valleys, the River is fed further by abundant rainfall that flood the plains, before running through Bangladesh to the Ganges Delta. The climate there is generally humid subtropical (Cfa), with the year split between wet and dry season. The wet season, between April and October, is extremely wet, oppressive and overcast, with 100% humidity for over 4 months, and very little air circulation. Assam experiences the highest rainfall of all Indian states, with severe flooding is a common occurrence.

The dry season is warm and mostly clear, still with very little wind. Throughout the year, the temperatures typically range between lows of 11°C and highs of 31°C, with temperature rarely exceeding 35°C. The high levels of rainfall create a fertile wetland which is known for its exceptional biodiversity. The hillier districts towards the South of the state, with elevations of 600m, experience a temperate climate (Cfb), with milder temperatures. The rich soils of Assam are covered by forests, a mixture of tropical evergreens and deciduous forests, swamps and grasslands. Bamboo, orchids and ferns grow in abundance, There are numerous wildlife sanctuaries, protecting tigers, leopards, rhinos and elephants.

Assam is famous for its silk and, of course, its teas. Although a mere 280 miles from Darjeeling, India’s other famous tea-growing region, Assam produces a very distinctive tea, with rich, malty notes, contrasting with the Darjeeling muscatel and floral notes. Due to the differences in topography, the tea bushes of Assam grow in higher temperatures, in a soil that is rich in nitrogen and organic matter. The Camellia sinensis assamica thrives in these conditions, producing larger leaves with robust flavours.